


Love from Another Country

by TheCrewLife



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: AU, Alternate Universe, Angst with a Happy Ending, F/M, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Fluff and Smut, Mileven, Mileven au, Smut, mileven smut
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-05-29
Updated: 2020-05-29
Packaged: 2021-03-02 22:08:20
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,411
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24434077
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheCrewLife/pseuds/TheCrewLife
Summary: With college off in the summer, Mike and his friends go on a trip to Italy for fun. When it's their last day, Mike meets someone that makes his heart flutter like no one else could before.She's studying abroad and he's leaving tomorrow. Read to find out what happens!(Mileven short story, probably around 3-5 chapters)WARNING: Smut
Relationships: Eleven | Jane Hopper/Mike Wheeler
Comments: 8
Kudos: 26





	Love from Another Country

**Author's Note:**

> This is an AU and is centered only around Mileven. 
> 
> Mike and El are 21 years old.
> 
> This takes place in Italy, but I am not Italian! If I get facts wrong please do not yell at me for them. 
> 
> Chapter two will contain smut. 
> 
> \- Please do not make jokes about covid-19 and Italy, thank you - 
> 
> Enjoy!

“Jesus fucking christ- Finally.” Dustin groaned as he flopped onto one of the hotel’s beds, leaving his backpack lone by the door.  
Mike looked around the room, barely paying attention to his friends moaning and groaning about how tired they were from the tours that day. The room was clean from them packing their things and had much more appliances than he was expecting when they got there, and even a big enough television for when him and all his friends watched Star Wars late at night. But most of all, it had a huge window, showing the beautiful view of Assisi, Italy. It was the perfect place to be; it was nowhere near as big as Rome or Florence, but it was still such a beauty, which was absolutely perfect for Mike. Less people but still the same great food and tours to go on; he’d miss this place. This whole trip, Mike felt so free. He's visiting another country for the first time in his life, and without any family members. He is an adult now. And hell, does it feel good. He felt like this was the best summer off from college yet. He didn’t want to leave tomorrow. 

His thoughts got interrupted when Lucas yelled his name. He turned around from where he was looking out the window to see his three friends (and Will’s boyfriend and Lucas’s girlfriend) staring at him.  
“What?” He questioned.  
“How do you feel about us going to a bar tonight?” Lucas asked, looking down at a pamphlet of the town that the hotel gave them.  
“A bar?-”  
“Oh also you can’t say no cause everyone else already agreed to this,” Will piped up, smiling at Mike with laughter hidden in it.  
Mike sighed, “Wow, thanks for including me guys,” Mike sat down on the closest bed near him, “I guess I’m fine with it since everyone else wants to go. What is it called?”  
“Hell you think I know? It’s some Italian word and I’m not even going to try to pronounce it cause I’ll embarrass myself.” Lucas scoffed.  
“A Casa di Bacco, dumbass,” Max rolled her eyes next to Lucas, who was holding her waist.  
“Can we go in like, ten minutes?” Dustin suddenly spoke up, his voice muffled by the pillow he stuffed his face in.  
“More like thirty minutes, I need a power nap,” Will’s boyfriend, James said, who had his arm lazily wrapped around Will’s shoulder.  
“Yeah yeah whatever, but double checking, everyone is okay with this, it being our last day here and all?” Lucas looked around at everyone in the room.

Everyone nodded their heads and half of them fell asleep.

\------

A smile wouldn’t leave Mike’s lips as he watched all his friends stupidly dance as he leaned back against the bar counter. If it was any place else, he’d feel lonely or even a little awkward, but he was happy here. The wine in his hands tasted like something God himself made and the smiles on his friend’s lips were contagious. Looking around he could tell Max and Dustin were already drunk or at least close to it, Lucas was getting there, and Will and his boyfriend were completely sober and just having one glass and being cute on the dance floor as they always seem to be. Mike was a little jealous of his friend’s relationship, he had to admit. He doesn’t think much of it now since he’s super focused on his work at college, but it would be nice to hold a girl like Lucas holds Max, or share little kisses like Will does to James. And not just that, but sometimes he wished he had a love life so he could have a more interesting life than just focusing on his studies. He’d be happier that way for sure, after all college makes him stress out way more than high school did, and honestly, he likes romance. He’s had a few exes in his past but none of them really stuck. None of them ended badly, but none of the relationships made him fall completely in love or made him super happy and giddy like they’re supposed to. He didn’t mind waiting for his future girl to come though. The time would come when it’s supposed to happen, even if Mike gets constantly teased by his friends that he hasn’t gone on a date in a year. He tries not to let that bother him so much. Mike shook his head as if the thoughts would shake out, and chuckled lightly at it; no time to be thinking about that.  
He was planning on staying sober, he really was, but the alcohol tasted too good here so he decided to fuck it all and get a little tipsy at least, but not drunk. No matter how good the wine tasted, nothing was worth throwing up the next morning over. 

He turned back around to face the counter and sat down on one of the bar stools, and gladly got another glass. He drank it faster then he’d like to admit, but it was just so good.  
Right as he was gonna go for his third glass, someone sat next to him. Except it wasn't just someone… It was the most beautiful girl Mike had ever laid eyes on in his entire life. 

It felt like time completely froze for a second. He wouldn’t be surprised if his mouth was wide open in shock right now because… holy fuck how is it possible a single person can be that pretty?!  
He must’ve said that last part out-loud accidentally because she suddenly let out a quiet, “W-what?”  
Mike felt his heart stop for a second, and his face turned from mesmerization to complete terror. “Oh god, what did I say? Oh my god I’m so sorry if I said something stupid... I’m sorry It’s just that you’re so beautiful and I-” He cut himself off, his face going beet red. “You’re not making this any better, dumbass,” Mike thought.  
The girl looked a bit confused for a split second before she giggled lightly and Mike’s heart fluttered so much at the sound that his hand went up to his chest.  
“You muttered the word pretty.” She smiled at him, a shy look in her eyes, “T-Thanks.”  
Mike stared at her completely dumbfounded. How did she not hate him and walk away disgusted by now? He didn’t have much time to dwell on that though because his brain was too scattered at the fact that she smiled at him. 

“Jesus,” Mike thought, “It’s just a girl, why are you acting so stupid?” Except it didn’t feel like ‘just a girl,’ no, she seemed better than that, more important than that, and Mike could feel his heart beating faster.  
“I-I,” Mike cleared his throat, “Um, you’re welcome, um, what’s your name?” He flinched when he realized he was probably being too forward.  
The girl noticed his anxiety and she didn’t feel much different. “Um, Eleanor.”  
“Even your name is pretty,” Mike ogled, but immediately regretted his words a second later. Yeah, he was definitely being too forward and is probably making the most beautiful girl uncomfortable right now. Little did he know that he was doing anything but.  
She let out a laugh, “Really? I hate my name, it sounds too… old.” She nervously tucked a strand of her shoulder length hair behind her ear.  
Mike shook his head, “Yes, really, it sounds so… elegant. But if you hate it, I guess I shouldn’t call you that then. Uhm, how about El? Short for Eleanor?” Mike offered, cringing at himself. “Nicknames? Really?” He spat in his mind.  
A smile tugged at her lips and she couldn’t contain it, making her smile way too big for her liking. She nodded, “Y-Yeah… I like that.”  
“You do?!” Mike squeaked, and covered his mouth in embarrassment right after. Why did his voice do him dirty like that?  
Another giggle. “Yeah, I do.”  
Mike stared at her, not believing that she’s real. “C-Cool.”  
“Cool,” she shyly smiled back.

Mike stared at her, admiring her. Her hair was brown, but not a boring brown, it was much more than that. It was light and reminded him of autumn, and it looked so soft to touch. Her nose was the definition of a “button nose,” he swears he could go get a dictionary right then and see a picture of her nose as the definition. Her cheeks were pink, and holy fuck they were pink, is she blushing? Her lips looked so soft and lush that Mike couldn’t help but to have the urge to kiss them, which was a thought he tried to get rid of immediently. Her eyes, oh god those eyes, he felt like he could stare at them forever, it felt like they said a thousand words without her even speaking, like just looking at them revealed her whole soul. But obviously, he couldn’t stare at them forever because she suddenly looked away, obviously feeling a bit small under his gaze.

Mike pursed his lips together. “Um… Let me buy you a drink.” He offered, hoping to end the awkward tension. He sounded way more desperate than he wanted to, his words coming out so fast it all sounded like one word.  
El was quick to defend, “Oh no, it’s okay! I feel like that’s asking too much, I can-”  
“Please?” Mike pleaded, a certain sparkle in his eyes making El feel like jelly and making her give in.  
“O-Okay,” She looked up at him, a grin forming on her lips at his happy smile, “I’ll just take whatever you got.”  
Mike nodded multiple times and quickly paid for her drink. As he handed her drink over to her, he couldn’t help to frown a bit. “Dude, you’re getting too attached to this girl. How stupid are you to flirt with a girl from another country? You’re already falling in love and you’ll probably never see her again.” He thought.  
He didn’t want to be thinking that right now, so he basically chugged his glass down, enough to get tipsy so he could just enjoy the moment.

“Are you okay?” El asked hestiantly, taking tiny ships out of her glass.  
“Yeah yeah, I’m more than okay,” He chuckled, and El looked down and blushed, knowing that was directed at her. “It’s just the alcohol in this country is so good.”  
At that, El giggled, “Yeah, it is much better than America's. I’ve had my fair share of it, a couple glasses here and there whenever college work gets too stressful,” she shrugged, taking another sip.  
“Oh! Are you studying abroad?” Mike asked.  
El nodded, “Yeah, it was scary coming here at first… but overtime I made friends and It was the right choice for me to come here. It made me happier.”  
“That’s so cool! I mean, I could never do that. I’m too much of a clinger to go anywhere where my friends aren’t, I barely left my hometown.” He chuckled a bit, rubbing the back of his neck before he stopped, knowing that he’s being way too obvious.  
“I didn’t have much that I left behind, so the new experience was nice for me.” El bit her lip, not wanting him to suddenly start pitying her. “What are you doing here?”  
“I’m just here for a trip with my friends, they’re... somewhere on the dance floor.” At the mention of his friends he turned around to make sure they were all still there and that none of them has done anything stupid yet. By this point Max, Lucas, and Dustin were definitely drunk and Will’s boyfriend caved and drank another glass, seeming to leave Will as the only sober one. 

El looked down and tapped her fingers lightly on her glass. She was secretly hoping he was studying abroad too. God, what is wrong with her? Getting all emotional over a boy she barely talked to for him not being in this country for long. It’s not like she was expecting something to happen, was she?  
He turned his attention back onto the girl who was somehow still talking to him, only to see her with a slight frown.  
“Hey, are you okay?” Mike asked in a soft voice.  
At his voice she immediately perked up, “What? Yeah, just lost in my thoughts,” she smiled shyly. She looked at her drink and suddenly drank it all at once for the exact same reason Mike did; she didn’t want to think about it right now.  
“Um, I never got your name.”  
“Oh! Right, sorry. It’s Mike, short for Micheal,” Mike said.  
El smiled, “Mike… what a cute name.”  
“Cute?” Mike wondered, and felt his cheeks heating up. If anyone else said his name was ‘cute’ he’d probably say “piss off,” but it was her and all that mattered was that she found something about him cute.  
Mike looked at her like a puppy, “T-Thanks.”

El glanced at the dance floor, then back at Mike.  
“I’ve never been much of a dance person at bars or parties,” El said, “I wouldn’t even be here right now if my roommate didn’t convince me to go… but I’m happy I did because, well, you’re here.” El let out the last sentence very quietly, so quiet Mike barely heard her but he did and his heart did a happy dance.  
“She’s happy that she met me?! Oh my god can this day get any better?!”  
Mike tried to calm his heart and said, “Y-yeah, me neither. I can’t remember the last time i’ve danced. I’m too nervous for that,” he bit the inside of his cheek, “A-And I’m happy you’re here, I’m kinda, um, freaking out right now, you seem really cool.”  
“Seriously? I let her know I’m a wimp and I call her cool?! Cool? Who calls such a beautiful, nice girl cool?”  
El looked at him as if she was searching for any indication that he was just saying that to make her feel better, but there was none. She grinned, playing with her thumbs, “Thanks.”  
“...You weren’t saying that so I could invite you to dance, right? N-Not that I wouldn’t want to! I mean, I probably wouldn’t cause dancing in public makes me nervous but that has nothing to do with you! I-I swear! If you wanted-”  
“Mike,” El laughed, putting a hand on his shoulder. Mike almost jumped at the contact. “It’s okay. No, I don’t want to dance either. Don’t worry about it.”  
Mike let out a breath. “O-Okay.”

El looked up at his face. He was sitting, but she could tell he was tall, very tall. But most of all, how could a boy be this pretty? She never thought she’d use that word to describe a boy before but it was true, and she loved it about him. Never did she think she could get so antsy about looks before. He was so handsome and beautiful and even though he complimented her she felt out of place. She could stare at his freckles forever, and she had the urge to run her fingers across his cheeks and count them one by one. His hair looked so silky that she could play with it for ages. His face overall looked so kind and the way he looked at her made her feel things she felt like she’s never felt before. And… as much as she wanted to stop these thoughts, she couldn’t help but to think what he looked like when shirtless. His shoulders felt firm when she touched them, and he is skinny, but not unhealthy skinny, but rather an attractive one. His skin was pale, which made him look soft and his hands were so large wrapped around that cup he’s holding that she wondered what it’d feel like for those hands to touch her… everywhere. And that jawline? Wow. 

El had to refrain from scoffing at herself. This man was making her feel too much at once and she didn’t know why. She just met him. She took a deep breath and started a conversation.

The next thirty minutes were filled with talking and laughter, Mike making dorky jokes and El… laughing at them? She was so perfect. He found out she liked Star Wars, she found out he was studying science, and so on. They learned more about each other and soon enough their faces were stained pink at all the giggles coming out of their mouthes. 

They both fell quiet, seeming to have the same thoughts in their mind, but not speaking up about it. It was loud in here, and his friends were here, and all he wanted to do right now was find somewhere quiet and with no people to take El to, to get to know her better where it wasn’t so… invasive.  
“Mike?” El spoke.  
“Yeah?”  
“Do you-” El suddenly went red, “Want to come back to my place?”

Mike went redder than he ever has in his life.

“Not like that! I mean, it’s just, it’s quiet, and we can be alone, and no place else is probably open right now because it’s late… am I being stupid, I’m sorry I-”  
“Yeah!” He cleared his throat, sounding a bit too happy at that offer, “I mean, yeah, I-I’d love to.”  
“C-Cool,” El smiled toothily, and took his hand to lead him out of the bar. Mike had to refrain from squealing. “Oh my god she’s holding my hand and it’s so perfect and her hand is so small and she’s so cute-”  
His thoughts got interrupted when El spoke up.  
“It’s a short walk from here. Is that okay?”  
“Y-yeah of course, um, oh my god wait I need to tell my friends I’m going, I’ll be right back,” Mike blushed, and quickly walked back in to tell his friends. El laughed. 

Mike went to Will, seeming that was the best person to tell since he was sober and wouldn’t forget where he is.  
“Hey, Will,” Mike tapped his shoulder awkwardly, feeling bad for interrupting him talking to his boyfriend.  
“Hey! What’s up, where have you been?” Will wondered.  
“I- I’ve been talking to a girl-”  
“A girl?! Mike! Look at you-”  
“Sorry, I don’t have time, I’m going to her dorm okay? I’ll be back tonight.”  
Will widened his eyes, “Her dorm?! So I’ll see you in the morning then…”  
Mike turned red at his assumption, “What? No! No, I’ll see you tonight, it’s nothing like that I-”  
“Okay Mike, have fun! I’ll see you in the morning,” Will laughed and walked away.  
Mike was about to run up to him again to again clarify that wasn’t what was happening but he decided against it. He had a girl waiting outside for him.

Mike was still red that Will thought he was going to have sex.  
“Sex.. with her?” He wanted to be repulsed but he was nowhere near repulsed, instead he almost got a bit excited at that thought. “Mike, no.” He told himself in his mind. He let out a sigh. 

He quickly went back outside and was delighted at the fact she was still there.  
“Hey, sorry about that,” Mike apologized. It was then he noticed everything about her appearance. Now that she was standing, Mike could see everything. He noticed her beautiful, blush pink dress that covered a lot of her skin, but it clung on tightly and he could see the exact curve of her breasts. It was a sleeveless dress, and her arms were so small, not unhealthily small, but they looked delicate and smooth and Mike wouldn’t mind tracing his fingers up and down them. Her shoulders were round and feminine, and not to mention her legs. Her legs were slender and smooth, and although her dress reached down right below half of her thigh, he could see a tease of her pale thighs, which made him a bit dizzy. Her waist and torso were so small he’d love to wrap his hands around them. All these thoughts about her body got him feeling weak at the knees and he cursed himself, blaming Will’s innuendo for these thoughts, but knowing deep down that he was just deeply attracted to her.  
“It’s okay,” El said, which made Mike snap out of it, “I’ll lead the way.”

And like that, they were off to her place.


End file.
